"Neal? Neal?"

Peter desperately shook his consultant, trying to rouse him. When there was no response he placed a slightly shaky hand to Neal's neck and was relieved when he felt a pulse. It was weak, but at this point Peter would take any sign that his best friend was alive. Rocking back on his heels, he placed his head in hands to regain composure. His chest ached from where Maria had shot him, but luckily his vest had stopped the bullet. He started unbuttoning his shirt to examine his vest when Mozzie spoke.

"He...he's alright. Isn't he...Peter?"

Peter's fingers froze on the third button of his shirt. Mozzie spoke with such uncertainty that it rattled Peter, but the thing that unnerved him the most was that the peculiar man who had only referred to him as " The Suit" in the two years they had been accuaintences, had just addressed him by his first name.

Baffled by Mozzie's desperation, it took the agent a moment to respond.

"Yes, Mozzie. He will be fine." Peter stated firmly doing his best to believe it himself and convince the uncertain man before him.

"He WILL be? What do you mean 'he will be' ? He has to be alright now! He's dying, Peter and all you can say is he will be fine?" Mozzie shouted as he paced back and forth.

Peter stood and took a step back, sizing up the man in front of him. This was not the Dante Haversham he knew. He had to get Mozzie to snap back into reality. He opened his mouth to speak but was taken back by the statement that came from the hysterical man in front of him.

"You have to save him, Peter. You. Have. To."

Mozzie now stood face to face with the agent waiting for the hero to come out that Neal saw in Peter but had yet to see for himself.

"Be the hero that Neal thinks you are. Be the father he never had and help him. Be my...friend and save the only person I would give my life for. Please, Peter." Mozzie gulped and took a step back realizing what he had just done. He quickly looked around, unwilling to look back at the agent he just trusted.

"Mozzie." Peter took a step forward and placed a hand on the shorter man's shoulder, relieved when the man jerked and looked cautious, showing he was back to his normal state of mind.

"I will help him. I will save him. I don't know about all the heroic stuff, but I promise you I won't let him die. But you've got to promise me something in return." He waited till Mozzie threw a nervous glance his way.

"You've got to promise me that you won't lose it like that again. You have to focus and help me. Understood?"

Mozzie nodded his head.

"Okay...first I want to know what your plan was, If I hadn't saw you tapping Morse Code on the side of your leg while that man led you out of the hospital when I watched the security footage, which was very difficult to figure out by the way when your going from camera to camera." Peter stated annoyed but with a slight hint of amusement.

"Ha! I know you're impressed and you figured it out so there's no need in going into irrelevant detail, Suit." Mozzie countered.

Peter looked back at Neal, who was still laying unconcious , and knew they were wasting time.

"Alright, once we get him out of here, you're going to tell me how Maria fits in to all of this and how you knew where that man was taking you."

"Sure, Suit. Just as long as you save him, I'll tell you." Mozzie stated but quickly regretted it when he saw Peter turn around, fury building in him.

"Do not think you have to blackmail me into saving him. He's my friend too and I care about him just as much as you do. I know you don't trust me because I'm a Federal Agent but I've done everything in my power to protect him since the first day the Federal Marshals put that tracker on his ankle. I know you can't see it because you live in a state of paranoia, but don't make the mistake of thinking that I don't care about him."

Peter shot back, as his fingernails dug into his palm in attempt to contain his anger.

Mozzie quickly recovered.

"Now who's the one losing it, Suit? Stay focused on the current problem at hand."

Peter set his jaw and ran a hand through his hair.

"Alright, alright." Peter blew out a breath and began thinking. "Maria lifted my phone so I can't call for back up. I doubt either of you have one on you. So...got any bright ideas rolling around that thick head of yours on how to get the door open?"

"You just leave that to me." Mozzie said as he made his way over towards the door.

"What am I supposed to do then?" Peter asked.

"Just keep an eye on Neal." Mozzie replied and began working on getting the door open.

Peter sat with his back against the cold wall, thankful to finally be sitting down so the ache in his chest would lessen. He looked down at Neal who was lying on the floor next to him, his brown, almost black hair brushing against Peter's pants leg. The agent was going to pull Neal up so that his head was supported on his leg but once he felt the heat radiating from his friend, he thought that the cold floor would help Neal's fever. He glanced at Mozzie who was still working on the door in his own little world and then studied Neal.

Neal was taking small, shallow, wheezing breaths which made Peter grimace. His skin color was ashy against his dark hair that was now slightly curled due to the sweat pouring from the younger man. Peter couldn't help but smile, despite Neal's health, at how young Neal looked. He placed a hand in Neal's sweat matted hair and was startled when Neal moved and let out a low groan.

"Neal?" Peter questioned, keeping his voice low so Mozzie wouldn't hear and get side tracked, as he began to assist Neal who was trying to sit up. "Hey, easy. Easy buddy."

Peter managed to help Neal sit up with his back against the wall. Peter leaned back and felt Neal's weight lean against him just a little.

Neal opened his eyes to mere slits as he tried to calm his breathing, but opened them as wide as he could when he noticed who was sitting beside him.

"P`tr?" Neal's voice was weak but he didn't have the strength to speak clearer.

"Yeah Neal. It's me. I had a vest on when Maria shot me." Peter clarified. He saw Neal close his eyes and waited till he opened them again to speak.

"Mozzie is getting the door open, then we're getting out of here and you'll be back at the office with your tracker on in no time."

Neal let out a raspy breath and shook his head weakly.

"Peter...I..I can't." He said as he looked away from Peter.

"Look at me, Neal." Peter stated firmly but when Neal made no move to do so himself, Peter turned Neal's head with one hand and waited till glassy eyes met his.

"You can. And you will."

"N-no. Peter you...don't understand." Neal shook his again. "I can't...I'm not going to ma...I can't, Peter...I j-just...can't." Neal stated defeated.

Peter arched an eyebrow in confusion before he realized Neal meant he was dying and didn't have the energy to sit up let alone make it out of here.

"Neal, now I know you have a hard time with listening to me but I need you to hear me out ok?" Peter stated with a slight chuckle and was relieved when his consultant gave a small smile and shook his head. Peter took a deep breath.

"You aren't going to die. I won't let that happen. You, me and Mozzie...we are all going to leave here once he gets that door unlocked and everything will go back to normal."

"P`tr...there...is ...s-something else." Neal struggled more with speaking and breathing. Peter noticed but didn't let on like he had.

"Oh lord. What?" Peter asked in a way to try and keep the conversation light.

"I...d-don't...know...what's ...happening...I don't...r-remember." Neal said as he now leaned heavily against Peter's shoulder unable to hold himself up anymore.

"It's alright Neal. Just rest okay." Peter said as he heard Neal's breathing getting worse.

He placed an arm around his consultant as he passed out. He let his chin rest on top of Neal's head and closed his eyes as he silently prayed that everything would be okay, that he could be the hero, the father and the friend Mozzie was begging him to be.

AN: I know it has been forever! I'm so sorry! But I'm going to finish this and it only has a couple of more chapters! Thanks for reading and sticking with me. Please review and let me know what you think!

Oh and to any of you who have read my other story "The Couch" ... I thought about turing it into a series of one shots possibly called "The Elements" and I would take certain things such as the Taurus and other elements and write a one shot like I did with the couch and its importance in their lives. If you would be interested in that happening send me a message or leave a review on here or "The Couch" . Thanks!